Deanna's Story
by LyannaRiatha
Summary: This takes place in two time periods, once when Sirius is a seventh year and then it will jump to the time of the fifth book.  At this time, he is still in school and the main character is a 1st year.


_**Chapter One: **_

_**An Unexpected Task and Complications**_

A small girl with long brown hair pulled back in a haphazard braid and dressed in the long black robe of a Hogwarts' student walked into the great hall for breakfast, a school bag thrown over her shoulder. She walked past the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin tables before finding a spot with the Gryffindors next to her best friend. She grinned at the dark haired girl before starting to fill her plate, listening halfheartedly to the talk around her.

"Are you ready for the test, Annie?" she asked.

Annie Roberts wrinkled her nose and shook her head, "No. I hate Potions, Deanna."

Deanna Marshall laughed softly and looked up towards the teacher's table, her brown eyes flickering over it before noticing the large form of their Potions teacher, Professor Slugworth. "The class isn't that bad, Annie."

Annie hurrumphed, "Slugworth likes you."

Deanna giggled, watching her friend before her gaze fell on a tall seventh year with black hair and she stopped giggling. She blushed a little and turned to look at her plate, very well aware that she hadn't been noticed.

Annie followed her friend's gaze and shook her head, "Why Deanna, I think you have a crush."

Deanna shushed her friend hurriedly, "It isn't like he would ever notice me."

Her gaze was drawn to him again as he sat down with his best friend and several other seventh years. Deanna blushed again as she met the gaze of a beautiful girl with long red hair and vivid green eyes. She quickly turned her head to look back down at the plate and murmured, "I think Lily heard us."

Annie grinned but kept her voice very low as she replied, "Your crush isn't on James, Deanna."

"I know that," Deanna hissed. "But Sirius isn't going to notice me anyway so it's a pointless crush."

"Who said a crush has to have a point?" Annie asked.

"Everything has a point," Deanna replied.

Annie snorted, "That's just your grandmother talking, Deanna."

Deanna giggled a little at the snort before taking a sip of tea, "Is it any wonder?"

Annie shook her head and looked down the table towards Sirius and his friends. She couldn't help but wonder what Deanna saw in him. Sure, he was extremely good looking and smart, but more bad boy than Marie Marshall would want her granddaughter to date. Or even be interested in. _Though the likelihood of Deanna and Sirius dating is nonexistent. He's seventh year, she's first, _Annie thought.

She looked up as the post owls came into the great hall. "Hey, isn't that your grandmother's owl?" she asked, pointing at one of the tawny owls.

Deanna looked up at the flock of owls, very confused. "Why would gran be writing me?" she wondered aloud. "I hope nothing's wrong."

The tawny owl landed in front of Deanna, a scroll of parchment fixed to his leg. She reached out with slightly trembling hands to untie the roll of paper. The owl ruffled his feathers before taking flight again. Deanna and Annie both looked at the letter before Deanna noticed the rune used to seal it shut. She reached out with a finger trembling a little more to trace the rune before standing up.

"I… I have to go back upstairs, Annie. I forgot something." Deanna grabbed her bag.

Annie reached out to grab her friend's wrist, "It's bad news, isn't it?"

"I… don't know. But I need to look at this somewhere else. I'll catch up with you in Slugworth's dungeon."

Annie nodded and let go of her friend. She watched as Deanna hurried from the hall, brushing past the seventh year Slytherin that gave her the creeps. Annie turned back to her plate but just pushed her food around, her thoughts on the scroll Deanna had just received.

Lily watched as Deanna hurried from the great hall before she gave James a quick kiss on the cheek, "I'm going to make sure Deanna is okay. She looks nervous about something."

James nodded, "Okay, Evans. See you in Defense against the Dark Arts."

"I'll be there." Lily grabbed her bag before she hurried after Deanna.

Deanna looked down at the scroll in her hand as she hurried into an empty classroom. She murmured the words that would release the magic of the seal and watched it glow a rich blue before it vanished. Deanna unrolled the scroll and read the words her grandmother had written.

_Deanna,_

_I have seen something that I need you to handle for me. Do you remember the spell I taught you before you went away to Hogwarts? It is time for you to use it. I know you don't understand what it entails but you don't need to to use it. The spell must be done at the new moon. So you have two weeks to prepare. Write me back to let me know when you have the strand of hair. Use your finding spell if you have problems getting one._

_Gran_

Deanna stared at her grandmother's words and nibbled on her lower lip for a moment, _Two weeks until the new moon_._ And somehow during that time I have to get a strand of hair_, she thought Her thoughts went to the crystal stored in a protected pouch her grandmother had insisted she bring with her. She blinked in surprise as the door to the classroom opened and Lily Evans walked in. Deanna quickly rolled the note back up and put it in her bag.

"Is everything all right, Deanna?" Lily asked. "I noticed you hurry from the great hall when you got the letter. Is it from your grandmother?"

Deanna gave a small nod and murmured, "Yes. She wanted to talk with me about my Potions test." Deanna looked down at her watch and blanched slightly, "I… have to go or I'll be late for the test."

Deanna hurried from the classroom, feeling Lily's eyes on her back as she ran off towards the dungeons. Lily gave a slight shake of her head before going to her first class.

Deanna barely had time to slip into her seat next to Annie before the bell rang, signaling the start of the class. Her mind was barely on the test as Slugworth passed out the questions. She exchanged a frazzled look with Annie before she focused her attention on the pages in front of her. She wrinkled her nose briefly as she read the questions, recalled what she had studied the night before and began to write quickly with her quill.

After Slugworth collected the test papers and the bell rang, Deanna and Annie hurried from the dungeon. Annie looked around to make sure that no one was around before whispering, "Is everything okay? What did your grandmother want?"

"Everything's fine. Gran's fine. She… just wanted to tell me that it's almost time for that spell she taught me before I came here."

"She did? What kind of spell is it?"

"I don't know. It's one that she came up with twenty years ago. And it's very difficult and complex."

"And she thinks you will to be able to do it?" her friend asked apprehensively.

Deanna nodded as they walked up the stairs that lead down into the dungeons, "Yeah. That's what it looks like."

Annie stopped to stare at her friend, "But we don't know enough for a spell like that."

"I know," Deanna said, a little evasively. "She said it has to be cast on the new moon. She made sure I had all of the ingredients that I would need for it before coming to school. All the ingredients except one, that is."

"Wait, she made you bring them with you? She knew you were going to have to do this?"

Deanna winced slightly at the accusing tone in Annie's voice before shushing her, "Keep your voice down. I don't want anyone to know about this. Gran was very insistent that as few find out as possible."

Annie glared at her friend for a moment, "We need to get to Charms."

"Please, don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you. It's your grandmother I'm mad at."

"I'm not happy with her either. I didn't think I would have to do this. She told me that I might not have to cast the spell but she wanted me to know it just to be on the safe side. She's been real vague about it. Even when she was teaching me. It was like she didn't want me to know why she was teaching me. Or even what it's meant to do."

"Doesn't that strike you as odd?" Annie demanded. "You could get into a lot of trouble if a teacher finds out about this."

"They aren't going to find out."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Are you going to tell them?"

"Well. No. But still, this sounds dangerous. Deanna, why you? Why do you have to cast the spell?"

"Because she can't? I don't know. I just know that she told me that if it was to be cast, I had to be the one to do it."

"I don't like this, Deanna."

"I don't either, Annie. Come on, we need to get to Charms."

"We aren't done talking about this, Deanna."

"Drop it, Annie."

That evening in the common room, Annie was still going on about the spell. "You can't do this."

"I have to. If I don't, something bad might happen."

"Then why can't your grandmother do it? Or someone older. Why does it have to be you?"

"I don't know. Listen, do you know when the next Hogsmeade weekend is?"

Annie looked baffled at the change of topic, "Hogsmeade? Why are you even worrying about that? We can't go."

Deanna hissed at her friend as she noticed Lily watching them. "Keep it down, Annie."

Annie followed Deanna's eyes and noticed that they had Lily's attention. "I ought to tell her or Remus. They're the prefects and they can stop you."

"Annie, don't. Please, if I knew more, I would tell you. But I don't. The only thing I do know is that grandmother stressed how important it was that this spell happen. And no one know about it."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"Because you're my friend. And I might need your help."

"My help?"

Deanna nodded slowly, her gaze drawn towards the corner where Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were sitting. "Yeah. Have we heard when there's going to be another Hogsmeade weekend?"

"According to the notice board, it's next weekend. Why?"

Deanna dropped her voice even lower and murmured so softly that Annie had to lean towards her to hear, "Because of the ingredient I don't have yet."

Annie looked at her friend curiously and murmured quietly, their heads close together, "And what is that?"

Deanna looked around to make sure that no one was close enough to hear before she whispered her answer.

"A what?"

"A strand of his hair. And it would be easier to get while no one is in their dormitory."

"Why do you need that?"

"According to gran, I need it as the focus for the spell."

Annie glanced briefly over at the corner where the older students were sitting before looking at her friend again, "Considering there is more than one boy with black hair in the dorm room, how can you be sure it belongs to the right one?"

Deanna fidgeted slightly before she muttered, "Another spell that gran taught me. It will help to confirm the owner."

Annie shook her head and murmured, "Deanna, this doesn't sound safe."

"Gran tells me that it'll go off well and that I'm strong enough to cast it."

"I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?" her friend asked.

Deanna shook her head, "No. This is something I've known I might have to do before I even found out I was going to be coming to Hogwarts."

Annie sighed, "Okay. What can I do to help?"

Deanna let out a soft sigh of relief, "The big thing is going to be making sure I can get the hair when no one is around… the other is to cover for me the night of the new moon."

Annie grumbled slightly before she nodded her head, "I don't like this. But I'll do it."

"Thanks Annie." Deanna looked at the books on the table before them, "Now, lets get on Binns's essay."

Across the common room, Lily was keeping a close watch on the two first years. "They're up to something."

James looked over at the two small girls, "What makes you say that?"

Lily grinned at James, "They have the look the four of you get when you're plotting your next adventure."

Sirius looked a little startled before he turned to Remus, "We have a look, Moony?"

"I guess so, Padfoot," Remus answered, though he turned to gaze at the girls as well. "Do you have any thought as to what kind of mischief they may be up to, Lily?"

Lily shook her head, "No. But I think it has something to do with the letter Deanna got this morning. Did you notice that she left before she was done eating _and_ before she opened it?"

James shook his head and ruffled his black hair, "No. I wasn't paying that much attention to her."

"Sirius was," Peter piped up.

Sirius let out a very doglike growl, "I was trying to decide if I wanted some eggs. But yeah, I noticed her go pale before leaving. If something was the matter though, I wouldn't think she would be sitting in the common room doing homework."

"You were watching her," Peter insisted.

James gave Peter a dark look before he turned to Lily, "But you went to check on her after she left and she told you everything was fine."

"She barely said anything but stuffed that letter in her bag. Like she was trying to keep it hidden. And she didn't say anything about it – just that her grandmother was checking up on her about her Potions test."

"Maybe what they are plotting has nothing to do with the letter," Remus suggested.

Lily shook her head, "No. Like Sirius said, she went pale after getting it. And she was a little paler when I caught up with her in the classroom. If I had to guess, I would think she looked frightened by whatever her grandmother wrote."

"Besides," Sirius cut in, "from everything I've heard about the first years, she's the best at Potions. So it doesn't really make sense for her grandmother to worry about that." He looked over at James, "It would be like your parents worrying about your transfiguration grade."

"They're being very careful to make sure no one overhears them," James said. "You may have a point."

"I do have a point." Sirius grinned, "Why don't you go and ask them about it, Evans?"

Lily gave Sirius a look before she shook her head, "No. Besides, I don't think she is going to tell me anything. I'll just keep an eye on them."

Remus nodded his head, "We'll all help with that, Lily."

"Thanks, Remus," Lily said. "The question is, do we keep a close enough watch that they know we're doing that or do we keep a very subtle watch."

Sirius dropped his voice and murmured, "Shame Filtch has the Marauder's Map. We could've used that."

"Her friend doesn't look real happy about this," James said. "Maybe we can get her to help?"

Lily shook her head, "No. Annie's her best friend. If she's concerned, she'll come to us on her own. I don't want to force her to choose."

"You aren't making this easy, Evans," James said.

"Come on, we have McGonagalls' assignment to do," Lily said. "Let's work on that."

Deanna finished writing her History of Magic essay and carefully put it in her bag before she turned to gaze absently at the fire blazing merrily in the hearth. Annie looked at her friend and bit her lip. No point in arguing about that again. She gave a quick shake of her head before looking at the corner where Lily Evans and her friends were sitting. She wasn't really surprised to notice Lily was paying close attention to Deanna.

Annie reached out to lightly touch Deanna's shoulder, causing her friend to jump slightly, "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. But I think Lily is worried about you."

Deanna glanced toward the corner and quickly turned her gaze back to the fire, "It's okay, Annie. I was just going over the spell again."

Annie opened her mouth but decided against saying anything. She couldn't say anything that she hadn't already. Annie looked back down at her homework, "Deanna, would you look over this? I keep thinking I missed something."

Deanna turned from the fire and smiled, "Sure. Let me see it."

She reached out for Annie's homework and pulled it closer. She picked up her quill and began to scratch out various lines and wrote down a couple of sentences on a blank piece of parchment. While Deanna was correcting her essay, Annie looked back towards the opposite corner. Annie stood up and stretched, "I'll be right back, Deanna."

Deanna nodded and looked up to follow Annie's eyes, "Are you going to go talk to Lily about what we are going to be doing?"

Annie looked at her friend before blushing a little, "I'm not going to tell her about the spell. I already told you that I would keep that a secret. Actually, I was thinking of asking her for help."

"Help?"

Annie nodded, "Yeah."

"With what?" Deanna wondered.

"The strand of hair."

"Why? I can try to get it when they're at Hogsmeade."

"Only if _all_ of the seventh year boys go into Hogsmeade. What if one of them stays behind? What are you going to do then?"

Deanna put the quill down, a thoughtful expression on her face, "If that happens, I'll come up with something else."

"Deanna, let me ask Lily about it."

Deanna shook her head, "Not yet. Let me try it this way first. If it doesn't work out, I'll go and ask him for the strand of hair myself."

Annie giggled, "And just how do you propose doing that? Won't it seem a little strange?"

Deanna grinned, "I'll just tell him you have a crush on him and want to sleep with it under your pillow."

Annie let out a squawk of outrage before she burst into peals of giggles, "Shouldn't I be the one to tell him that? I mean, _you _have a crush on him."

"Shush," Deanna said, giggling. "If he finds out about that, I'll know who told him."

"And? You can't do anything about it. You don't have anything like that on me."

Deanna grinned, "I don't? What about that Ravenclaw, Tom Haskins? I've noticed you watching him in Herbology when Sprout's back is turned."

Annie blushed a vivid red and sat down in the seat by the fire. "You wouldn't."

Deanna gave Annie a wide, innocent smile though her brown eyes twinkled with mischief, "Of course I wouldn't. Just like you won't tell Sirius."

"You're awful," Annie muttered.

"And your point is? Now shush. Otherwise I won't be able to finish this."

"Who said I had a point?"

But Annie went quiet as she looked around the common room and noticed that the opposite corner was empty. She looked around in slight confusion before she noticed Sirius, James, Peter, and Remus going up to the boys' dormitory, Lily to the girls. Annie looked at the time and was just about to say something when Deanna put her quill down. Deanna pushed the marked up piece of parchment and another scrap towards Annie.

"Here. If you make these changes and use this for the ending, you shouldn't have any problems."

"Thanks," Annie said and picked up her quill to start to rewrite her essay.

"Why not do that at break? It's getting late."

"Good point," Annie said.

They both put everything back in their bags before going upstairs to the dormitories. Deanna looked out the window for a moment before she changed into her nightgown and climbed into the four-poster bed. She pulled the curtains closed and stretched out under the covers. _I wish I didn't have to do this_, she thought_. But there's nothing I can do about it. I just have to do it. Gran wouldn't ask me to do something that I wasn't able to._ With a quiet sigh, Deanna rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. It was a while, though before she was able to drift off to sleep.

Lily went down to breakfast the following morning and looked down the table in the great hall for either Annie or Deanna. Lily spotted James and Sirius before moving swiftly to join them. She placed her hand on James' shoulder before she squeezed in between him and Sirius. James looked over at her and grinned slightly as he shifted down the bench to give her more room.

"Have either of you seen Annie or Deanna?" Lily asked quietly.

James shook his head, "No. Moony and Wormtail are supposed to be keeping an eye out in the common room. Did you ask them?"

Lily nodded, "Yeah. They hadn't seen them yet either."

Sirius looked down at his watch before his gaze moved swiftly down the table, "If they don't hurry, they'll miss breakfast." As Sirius' gaze swept past the door to the great hall, the object of their conversation hurried in, Annie looking worried and Deanna resigned. Sirius watched them inconspicuously as they sat down and continued what looked to be an argument. Shortly thereafter, Remus and Peter joined James, Lily and Sirius at the table.

"Annie isn't happy about something," Remus muttered as he poured cereal into a bowl. "They were arguing when they came down from their dormitory. When they noticed Peter and me sitting by the fire, they dropped their voices and left the common room."

"Did you happen to hear what they were arguing about?" Lily asked.

Peter shook his head and helped his plate, "I didn't and it didn't sound like they were arguing."

"Are you deaf, Wormtail?" Remus exclaimed in annoyance.

Peter flushed a little and muttered something as he focused his attention on his plate.

James looked over at Sirius and noticed that he was still watching the two girls. "Padfoot, you might want to tone down the staring if you don't want them to think we're watching them."

Sirius gave a shake of his head before starting to eat his breakfast, "Just trying to figure out what they're up to."

James peered at Sirius closely for a moment as Lily looked over at Remus, "What were they talking about before they noticed you two?"

"I think it has to do with the letter from Deanna's grandmother. Whatever it involved, Annie seems to be trying to talk Deanna out of something. And not succeeding."

Lily tapped her spoon against the side of her mug of tea thoughtfully, "But nothing about what it might have entailed?"

"A strand of hair," Peter quipped.

"What?" Sirius exclaimed. "A strand of hair? Why would they argue over that?"

"That's just it. I don't know, Padfoot," Remus said. "But like Peter said, they were discussing the odds of getting this strand of hair and Annie was trying to talk Deanna into asking for help about it."

"So no idea whose hair it is?" James asked.

Remus shook his head, "Nope. That was when they noticed us and left. We followed as close as we could without being conspicuous but they made sure they were talking too softly to be overheard."

Lily shook her head and turned toward the two girls. James placed his hand on Lily's shoulder, "Don't worry about it, Evans. Considering they're still arguing about whatever it is, the likelihood of us overhearing more is almost assured." He dropped his voice, "Besides, we can always use the invisibility cloak to get closer."

Sirius gave a bark of laughter, "Why didn't we think of that last night? If we had, Remus could have been under it and they might not have dropped their voices."

Lily nodded, "Good point." She looked at her watch, "But we have to get to Charms."

With that, the five of them rose from the bench and headed out of the great hall. Sirius slowed down a little as they passed behind the two first years, trying to hear what they were saying. As they passed, he noticed that the two girls stopped talking and focused on their plates, Annie looking annoyed and Deanna with a blush on her cheeks. Sirius sped up and left the great hall with the others.

Deanna turned slightly to watch Sirius, Remus, James, Peter and Lily leave the great hall. She turned back to her plate and picked up a piece of bacon, her thoughts elsewhere.

"He was watching you," Annie said very softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Sirius was watching you."

Deanna flushed and looked at her best friend before she murmured faintly, "Only because they think we're up to something."

"We are."

"Shush. Not so loud. It isn't like what we're planning is going to hurt anyone. Gran wouldn't want me to do anything to hurt anyone."

Annie looked at her best friend and noticed the dark circles under her brown eyes, "Then why did you have trouble falling asleep last night?"

"Because I don't like arguing with you. I was also thinking about what I need to get," Deanna said, blushing lightly. "How much do you think Remus and Peter overheard?"

Annie shook her head at the change of subject but answered anyway, "I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if they had heard the bit about the strand of hair."

Deanna winced slightly, "I doubt they know whose hair we're talking about."

Annie looked at the time, "Come on. We need to get to Herbology or Sprout will have our necks."

Deanna nodded and got up from the table, her gaze drawn briefly toward the teachers' table before she slung her bag over her shoulder. Deanna and Annie both hurried from the great hall and headed towards the entrance. They made their way through the crowd of students before gaining the quiet of the grounds. They walked towards Greenhouse 1, Hagrid's hut in the distance.

Annie looked around carefully before she lowered her voice and murmured, "If he was watching you, he might not have a problem with you asking for a strand of hair."

Deanna flushed and shook her head, her voice very soft, "No. I can't. Not right now. Maybe…"

"Why do you have to try it the hard way first? Is it because you don't want him to think you like him?"

"That isn't it," Deanna insisted.

Annie made a soft noise of disbelief, "Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that."

"It isn't," Deanna said, blushing brilliantly. "I just don't want him to ask why I want it. And you know he will. What do I tell him? That I need it for a spell my grandmother wants me to cast? And what do I tell him when he asks what the spell is for? I've only heard of one kind of spell or potion that needs a part of someone and that's the polyjuice potion Slugworth told us about. Which he would know I wasn't going to be able to do. So what does that leave? Dark magic? You and I both know gran would never have me do anything like that. But he doesn't."

Annie let out a sigh, "You're right, Deanna. I wish you weren't though. Okay, we'll try it your way first. If it doesn't work, would you be willing to ask him for the strand of hair? Or ask Lily to get it for you."

Deanna let out a giggle, "Just tell her that I've a crush on him and I wanted something of his? Or what?"

Annie gave Deanna a light push just as they got to the greenhouse, "That works."

Deanna opened the door to the greenhouse and they both hurried over to the table that they were working at. Deanna and Annie didn't have much of a chance to talk about anything during the class because Tom Haskins, a Ravenclaw first year with thick blonde hair and big gray eyes, joined them. It was all Deanna could do to keep from giggling at how tongue-tied her best friend became when he was around. The lesson passed quickly and soon they were back out on the grounds. Deanna grinned as Annie watched Tom walk away before they went over to sit under a large oak tree.

"You know, Annie, if you managed to unstick your tongue from the roof of your mouth, I think the two of you would hit it off," Deanna teased.

Annie blushed brightly, "Look whose talking! When have you exchanged two words with Sirius?"

Deanna blushed as well, "The difference is, I think Tom likes you too. Sirius doesn't know I'm alive."

"Oh bah!" Annie exclaimed. "He knows you're alive. I told you he was watching you at breakfast."

"Actually, he was probably looking at Heather. You know the tall, beautiful blonde sixth year sitting near me. The one _all_ the guys stare at?"

"You won't ever know if you're too chicken to talk to him."

Deanna giggled and looked at her friend, "Uh-huh. So, when have _you_ exchanged more than two words with Tom that didn't have anything to do with pruning shears?"

Annie grinned and gave her best friend a shove causing Deanna to give a peal of laughter as she put a hand down to keep herself from falling over. Deanna straightened up before she gave Annie a gentle return shove. Annie managed to keep from toppling over and grinned at Deanna, "Come on. We have to read that chapter for Binns."

Deanna groaned softly before she reached into her bag to grab her History of Magic book, "You're right. I've never known a teacher that could put a class to sleep faster."

Annie giggled and opened her book, "You can't sleep. You have to make sure and take notes for us."

Deanna shot her friend a look before she noticed the seventh year with sallow skin and greasy black hair coming towards them. She swore softly and muttered, "What does he want?"

Annie looked over and shifted slightly closer to her best friend. There was a good reason why Deanna was known as the best student in their year. Her grandmother had seen to it that Deanna knew more than most first years. She watched as Severus Snape walked up, her fingers tightening on her book.

"Yes?" Deanna asked, her normally friendly brown gaze slightly frosted.

Snape knelt in front of them, Annie involuntarily drew back from him while Deanna looked at him distastefully. He looked over at Annie and smirked before looking at Deanna, his voice oily as he murmured, "You almost knocked me down yesterday."

Deanna's lips curled in a very slight smile, "I was in a hurry."

Snape leaned a little closer to Deanna, "Be more careful, little first year."

Across the courtyard, Sirius came out of the castle with his friends and they headed toward a birch tree by the lake. They were discussing their Charms test when Remus glanced over at the oak tree where Deanna, Annie and Snape were engaged in a tense conversation. Remus stopped and stared, noting Annie's frightened expression., "We've a problem."

Sirius turned towards Remus, "What do you mean, Moony?" He followed Remus' gaze and let out a doglike growl, "What's he doing?" James, Peter and Lily all turned to see what Remus and Sirius were looking at.

James swore softly, "Evans, you aren't going to have a problem with us handling this, are you?"

"Not at all, James. Let's go," Lily said. The four boys nodded and they began to walk across the courtyard. As they drew nearer they were able to hear what was being said.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, too?" Deanna asked sweetly, though the expression in her eyes was hard.

Annie murmured softly, "Deanna, don't."

Snape's gaze flickered towards Annie before he smirked again at Deanna, "I would listen to her if I were you, Marshall."

"So I'm supposed to watch where you're going for you?" Deanna asked innocently.

Snape's expression went murderous but before he could say anything, a hoarse voice cut across him, "What seems to be the problem?"

Annie's gaze flew towards the speaker before a smile of relief spread across her face. She winced slightly when Deanna spoke, her gaze directed toward Snape, "No problem, Remus. He was just coming to apologize for almost knocking me down yesterday."

It was all Sirius could do to keep from laughing at the expression that flitted across Snape's face, "Then get on with it, Snivellus, it looks like they were busy before you came up."

Snape glared at Deanna, his voice very cold as he said, "You had better watch yourself, little girl. That attitude could get you in trouble."

"That didn't sound like an apology to me. Did it to you, Padfoot?" James asked.

"Nope. Can't say that it did, Prongs." Sirius drew his wand, "Are you going to apologize or not?"

Snape glared at Deanna for a moment more before standing up and sweeping away, his black robes billowing about him as he left. Sirius moved slightly in front of Deanna and kept his wand out watching Snape leave as Remus knelt beside the two girls.

"Are you okay?" he asked hoarsely.

Annie trembled slightly and murmured, "He gives me the creeps." Her gaze flew to Deanna, "Why did you have to provoke him?"

Deanna's hard brown gaze stayed on Snape as he looked back over his shoulder toward the oak before he left the courtyard and headed into the castle, "Because he's a bully and I won't be pushed around by his type."

Sirius knelt next to Remus and gazed intently at Deanna, "What actually brought him over here?"

"He got his robes in a knot because he almost knocked me over when I was leaving the great hall yesterday and decided I should watch where I was going," Deanna answered, her voice a little hard before she looked at Sirius and felt herself go slightly pink.

"Has he given you any problems before now?" Lily asked.

Annie looked down at her book, "Once. Hagrid came up that time before he could really cause problems."

Lily and James exchanged a look, Sirius' gaze still intent on Deanna, "He's a seventh year, Deanna," Sirius said.

Deanna arched an eyebrow, her gaze turning slightly challenging, as she blushed a little more, "I know. Just because he knows more than I do doesn't give him the right to tell me what to do or push me around."

"Sirius didn't mean to imply that," Remus said quickly.

Deanna blushed brightly as she managed to break eye contact with Sirius and looked at Remus, "I know, Remus. Snape just… I don't know. Something about him feels bad. He gives Annie the creeps and he always manages to get me annoyed."

Lily knelt down and placed her hand on Annie's shoulder, her green eyes intent on both girls, "If Snape starts to give the two of you too much trouble, let us know."

"Yeah," James said. "We can take care of old Snivellus for you."

Sirius nodded his head, his dark gaze intent on both girls now. Annie watched him and in that moment understood what Deanna saw in him. _He may be a bad boy but he's a good guy,_ she thought, a little surprised.

"Mind if we join you?" Lily asked.

Deanna looked at Lily before her gaze wandered back toward the castle. Even though she had put on a brave front, Deanna knew that she didn't want to have a confrontation with Severus Snape. At least not before the new moon in two weeks so she nodded, "Okay. If you want to." She looked at Annie, "You don't mind, do you?"

Annie shook her head, unable to hide the relieved expression on her face at Deanna's acceptance of Lily's offer, "Nope."

Lily nodded and she sat down, along with the others. Sirius ended up sitting down next to Deanna. Peter continued to keep quiet and watched everything.

Lily looked at Deanna thoughtfully, "Are you alright?"

Deanna looked a little surprised at the question, "I'm fine."

"You look a little tired," Lily said.

Deanna smiled a little, "I had a tough time falling asleep last night."

James slung a casual arm across Lily's shoulders and watched the two first year girls, "What do you think of Hogwarts so far?"

Annie found herself beaming at James, "I really like it. It's amazing here. Sometimes I worry that I won't learn everything I need to."

Deanna laughed quietly and looked at her friend, "You'll learn everything you need to, Annie. You know I'll help you if you need it."

"What about you, Deanna?" Remus asked.

Deanna nodded as she found herself starting to relax, "I'm enjoying it. For the most part, everyone here is very nice."

"That's good," Sirius said, smiling.

Deanna's smile turned a little shy as she met Sirius' gaze before her glance flickered to take in Remus, Peter, James and Lily as well and murmured, "Thank you. I think I almost pushed him too far."

James reached out to touch Deanna's shoulder, "Don't worry about old Snivelly. If he tries anything, he'll have to answer to us."

Lily gave James a swift poke in the ribs, "We'll tell McGonagall and she can talk to Slugworth about him."

"Should we tell Professor McGonagall?" Annie asked.

"I wouldn't. At least not as long as he doesn't keep it up."

Deanna nodded and looked towards the castle when the bell rang, "We need to get to History of Magic." She stuffed her book back in her bag before standing up, Annie standing up with her. "Thank you all again."

"You're welcome," Sirius said as he stood up as well.

Deanna flashed a shy smile at Sirius before she hurried off with Annie. Sirius watched the two girls leave before he looked down. "Do you think Snivelly is going to bother them again?"

Lily stood up and shrugged, "I don't know. He might if he thinks he can get away with it. What possessed her to sass him?"

"I don't know," James said as he stood, his voice amused. "But it was worth it to see the expression on his face. I thought he was going to swallow his tongue."

Remus and Peter stood up as well, "So did I," Remus said. "She should probably be a little more careful about provoking him."

"Yeah," Peter said.

They started towards the castle and their Potions class. On the way in, Peter quipped, "You were watching her again, Sirius."

"Oh drop it," Remus and James said in unison.


End file.
